Device for packaging and dispensing intravenous solutions



N. EVANS DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND DI Aug. 24, 1948.

SPENSING INTRAVENOUS SOLUTIONS Filed Feb. 17, 194? Patented Aug. 24,1948 DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND DISPENSING INTRAVENOUS SOLUTIONS NewtonEvans, Montrose, Califl, assignor to Don Baxter, Inc., Glendale, Califl;a corporation of Nevada Application February 17, 1947, Serial No.729,125

This invention relates to a device for packaging sterile solutions andthe administration sets for such solutions. The invention is particu"larly directed to a device for holding solutions of the type which aretobe injected intravenously andto administration sets, which permit suchsolutions to be injected directly from theicontainer into the veins of arecipient. The invention is also directed to a device adapted formaintaining both the solutions and the administration sets in sterilecondition.

. In order that the administration of such solutions can be mosteconomically handled with the greatest asurance of safety, suchsolutions and the apparatus by which they are to be administered shouldbe packaged by the manufacturer of the solutions in a package in whichthe solutions and apparatus may be placed in a sterile condition andretained in that condition-until administered. It is alsoadvisable thatthe packages containing both the solutions and the administrationapparatus contain some visible means for indicating Whether or not thedesired sterile condition of the ingredients has been maintained.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a devicefor packaging and dispensing a sterile solution, which device is capablenot only of maintaining the solution in a sterile state, but alsoholding and maintaining all the essential apparatus for administeringsuch solution likewise in a sterile state, and which device is providedwith suitable means, preferably separate, for the solution and for theadministering apparatus, of indicating whether the desired sterilecondition has been, in fact, maintained in-the package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device formaintaining in a sterile condition not only the intravenous solution,but the apparatus for administering the same, in which devicetheseelements are adequately sealed, one from the other, until it isdesired to administer such sterile solution. It is highly important tomaintain the administration apparatus and the solution separat in thepackage. If the dispensing apparatus is allowed to come into contactwith the solution, there is danger not only that the dispensingapparatus, particularly any metal parts, such as the hypodermic needlethereof, may become corroded on standing and also the danger that lossof sterility to that portion of th solution which is adhering to thedispensing apparatus will not be subject to proper detection. By meansof the present invention, I have, therefore, provided for the packagingin one unit-of not only the 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-214) solution and thedispensing means, but have provided a package by which these may besimultaneously sterilized and maintained independent and separate fromeach other and provided with separate sterile-indication means.

The device for packaging and dispensing sterile solutions of the presentinvention, together with various additional advantages of the invention,will be fullyunderstood from the following description of a preferredexample of the invention, which description is given in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical view, mainly in section.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates a container, such as a glassbottle, for holding the sterile solution. The container 1 has the usualneck I l, which is preferably beaded, as indicated at 12. At the neckll, there is provided a rubber stopper 6, preferably having a flange l4resting on the lip of the neck to assist in preventing the stopper 6from being forced into the bottle I. The stopper 6 is provided with anopening l5 adapted to receive the upper end of an air tube 1. There isalso provided an opening 9, intended to serve as a solution outlet.

Through the stopper 6 is provided a relatively larger opening l6 which,near'the upper end, is provided with an internal annular flange [1. Acontainer 4, preferably of glass, such as a glass test tube, is providedwith its open end inserted in the opening I6, up to and. against theflange l1. Preferably a somewhat tight fit is provided between the upperend of the glass container 4 and the walls of the opening of the stopper6, into which it isforced in order to'provide a tight seal. Thecontainer 4 has its lower end closed'and may be of sufficient size, ashereafter described, to house the equipment to be used in dispensing asolutionfrom within the container l. Above the flange ll, there isprovided the easily removable chamber cap l8 having a small opening l9therein. The opening I9, as hereafter particularly pointed out, servesin combination with the other parts of the apparatus as a vacuumindicator.

The dispensing equipment disposed within the chamber 4 includes a dripmember 3, which may be of any usual or preferred construction. In theparticular case illustrated, the drip indicator is shown as comprising aglass member 20, reduced at one end and connected to a nipple M, whichmay be tapered as indicated and below which there is provided a shortinner tube 22. The opposite end is reduced, as indicated at 23,

for adjustment to the flexible tubing Ill. The flexible tubing I0, afterleaving the reduced end 23, is preferably coiled in a helical manner toconform to the inner wall of the glass chamber 4 and, at the lower end,the flexible tube is preferably attached to the needle 24. The needle 24includes the cannula 25, having a large hollow sleeve 26 at one end, towhich the end of the tubing I is attached. Preferably, there is provideda guard 5, enclosing the needle as an addiw tional pnotection therefor.

Above the stopper 6, there is provided a thin flexible rubber disc 21.In the use of the invention of the present application, there 'may beadded various other caps, seals, andthe like, to the top of the elementsherein illustrated and described so that these members are used onlyduring the sterilization and shipping of the apparatus and are generallyremoved before use and, therefore, are omitted from the presentdisclosure.

In the use of the apparatus of the present invention, after the solutionhas been placed inside of-the glass bottle andthe dispensin apparatus:glass containerfl. At the end of such sterilizing operation, theflexible rubber seal 21 is still mounted in position and at the openingsl5 and I9, the flexible diaphragm 2-1 will be drawn inwardly by thevacuum forming the two depressions in the surface thereof. In thefurther transit of the product to the market and the storage of theproduct, these depressions serve, respectively,to indicatethepreservation of the vacuum above the solution in the container I',and the preservation of the vacuum within the glass container 4. If, forany reason of defective equipment or defective handling, the vacuum inthe container on the inner chamber is lost, the absence of thecharacteristic depressions above described will indicate to'the operatorthe loss of such vacuum and a probable loss of the sterile condition ofthe contents.

When it is desired to utilize the apparatus of the present invention,afterthe removal of such other maps as may be provided, the flexibleseal 2-! is removed, the cap member [8 may be rer moved, whereupon thedevice is withdrawn by grasping the bend in the tubing where it makesconnection with the reduced end 23. Thereby,

the drip-indicator -3 -may be first removed from the glass housing 4 andthe end 2| thereof then forced into the solution outlet 9 of thecontainer. The remainder of the tubing and the hypodermic needle maythen be withdraw-n from the apparatus and the guard 5 removed from theneedle,

and the apparatus is then in condition for operation by attaching aclamp to the tubing, in-

verting the bottle and inserting the hypodermic needle into the vein ofthe intended recipient.

In operation, the solution which passes through the tubing'Zi! will beseenvisibly to drip through the body ofthe glass memberZ-il and affordsthe operator the opportunity of checking-the. flowof the sterilesolution.

By means of the apparatus herein described, it: s: p ssible to.maintain. n one pa kage. not only this invention includes all suchmodifications and changes as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A device for packaging and dispensing a sterile solution, whichcomprises a container for the solution having a neck, a stopper for thecontainer closing said neck, an opening in said stopper, a supplementalcontainer member having its upper end fitting the opening of saidstopper and depending from said stopper within said container, and meansfor dispensing the solution from said container to a recipient, mountedwithin said supplemental container.

2. An apparatus for packaging and dispensing sterile solutions, whichapparatus comprises a container having a neck, a stopper closing saidneck, said stopper having an opening therethrough, a supplementalrelatively small container member having an open end fitting in theopening in said stopper and suspended thereby, and means for dispensinga solution from said container to a recipient, mounted Within saidsupplemental container, said means including a tubing and an injectionneedle connected with said tubing.

3. An apparatus for packaging and dispensing sterile solutions, whichapparatus comprises a container having a neck, a stopper closing saidneck, said stopper having an opening therethrough, a supplementalrelatively small container member having an open end fitting in theopening in said stopper and suspended thereby, and means for dispensinga solution from said container to a recipient, mounted within saidsupplemental container, said means including a drip indicator, a tubingconnected therewith, and an injection needle connected to said tubing.

4. An apparatus for packaging and dispensing sterile solutions, whichapparatus comprises a container having a neck, a stopper closing saidneck, said stopper having an opening therethrough, a supplementalrelatively small container'member having an open end fitting in theopening in said stopper and suspended thereby, means for dispensing asolution from said container to'a recipient, mounted within saidsupplemental container, said means including a drip. indicator, a tubingconnected to said indicator, and an injecting needle connected to saidtubing, and a guard covering said needle.

5. An-appjaratus for packaging and dispensing a sterile solution, whichapparatus includes a bottle having a reduced neck, a stopper closingsaid neck, said stopper having an opening, an air tube attached to saidopening and extending into. said bottle, a second relatively largeropening, a'tube closed at its lower end having its open end inserted insaid relatively larger opening and likewise extending into said bottle,means Within said tube for administering a solution from said bottle toa recipient, and a flexible sealing member-positioned over said stopperand having a portion, thereof adapted to be maintained in a depressedcondition over the opening of said stopper, connecting the air tube andhaving a portion thereof adapted to be maintained in a depressedcondition over the opening of said stopper connected to said tube.

6; An apparatus for packaging and dispensing a sterile solution, whichapparatus comprises a bottle having a neck, a stopper closing said neck,an air tube depending from an opening in said stopper, a solution outletfor said stopper, a relatively large opening in said stopper, a tubularmember having one end fitting said relatively large opening andsuspended by said stopper, said tubular member enclosing a dripindicator, tubing and a needle adapted for connecting it to said sterileoutlet for administering the contents of said bottle to a recipient.

7. An apparatus for packaging and dispensing a sterile solution, whichapparatus comprises a bottle having a neck, a stopper closing said neck,an air tube depending from said opening in said stopper, a solutionoutlet for said stopper, a relatively large opening in said stopper, a.tubular member having one end fitting said relatively large opening andsuspended by said stopper, said tubular member enclosing a dripindicator. tubing and needle adapted for connecting it to said sterileoutlet for administering the contents of said bottle to a recipient, anda flexible sealing member over said stopper having separate depressionsfor indicating the presence of vacuum within said bottle and within saidtubular member.

NEWTON EVANS.

